Archive for the ‘Performance’ Category

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WANT TO SING BETTER THIS YEAR THAN LAST?

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

If you want to sing, SING!  But, because muscles have memory, and will memorize what you’re doing, right or wrong, I suggest the following:

MAKE SOME DELIBERATE PLANS.

Don’t get stuck in the rut of just thinking about it and wanting it.  You don’t have to know the entire path from where you are to where you want to be, but you do need to take the first step. That requires writing down your vocal strengths and weaknesses. “But,” you might say, “I don’t really know what those are.”

By admitting that, you’ve actually taken the first step, and the second step is to get some feedback and evaluation from someone with training. That can be a current or former choir director, a neighbor with some musical/vocal training or even a visit to your local community college music department. You can also schedule an Online video session with me by signing up on the Vocal Coach site.  Let whoever it is know that you are wanting their opinion on how you do with the the basics, or, if you’re more experienced with the more advanced areas of singing.

IF YOU’RE AN EXPERIENCED SINGER

If you know you need to improve your breath management and pitch accuracy you’ve got a good start. Maybe you need to add to that list the ability to smoothly move from lower notes (chest register) to higher ones (head register) smoothly.  Or, are you trying to figure out how to go from just singing a song to really mastering it with full, creative expression.

IF YOU’RE A NOVICE

Get feedback on the basics include the ability to accurately match pitch, rhythm patterns, imitate simple and complex phrases etc. The more advanced areas include how you treat phrasing, diction, dynamics and expression.


IF YOU’VE  STARTED YOUR LIST HERE ARE SOME TRAINING OPTIONS

  • Self-Training.  If you are a motivated, disciplined person you can accomplish quite a bit yourself assuming that you have good foundations like good posture, breathing and a musical ear.  You also need to have had some musical experience be it in a choir or perhaps you’re part of a family who does music together.  Your tools should be a good set of training CD’s or videos along with getting feedback from those around you with some experience and training.
  • Local Voice Teacher/Coach. The key here is to find someone who has had systematic training.  Not just someone who happens to be a good singer.  Doing it and teaching it are two different things. What works for one may not work for another. That’s why teachers are trained. You also need someone who relates to your age, culture and musical goals at least to some degree.  Sometimes a local college can help with suggestions and their staff might well teach outside of school.
  • Live, Personal Online Training.  We have found this to be a powerful tool.  I regularly teach students from around the country and even as far as 8 time zones away. Skype, FaceTime, iChat etc are great tools and any webcam system works. (Check the web site for details.)

So, depending on your goals, budget and where you live you can find a way to take the next steps to being a better singer.  And, I can tell you from personal experience as well as from watching lots of students that using your voice the right way is a lot more satisfying than just getting by.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW your thoughts and questions at chris@vocalcoach.com

I’ll be answering your questions on the blog and in videos throughout the year.

 

 

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Singing and Voice Lessons, Soloist, Teaching Teens To Sing, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

KEEPING A MOIST VOICE IN DRY WEATHER

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

IT’S WINTER.  THAT MEANS LOTS OF SINGING AND DRYER AIR

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES all singers face is  recognizing how dehydrating singing is even in the best of times.  Every time we exhale we are losing moisture.  In fact, when a singer like Chris Tomlin does a full concert he’s apt to lose a gallon or more of water in one night just through the breath.  Add to that normal perspiration and evaporation through the skin and you need some serious hydration just to stay even.  In winter, the air inside and outside is dryer it makes it even worse.

THE REAL DANGER is the control you can lose and the damage you can cause if the vocal folds (vocal cords) don’t have the right lubrication as they articulate thousands of times during a phrase.

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP maintain the needed moisture include:

  1. Keep your body hydrated, drinking a minimum of 1/2 your body weight in ounces every day.  If you weigh 160 pounds that means 80 ounces of water.  If you weigh 500 pounds you ate too much on Thanksgiving day :-) .
  2. If you’re physically active playing sports, shoveling snow or whatever you’ll need additional water just to stay even.
  3. If you’re singing, or even doing a lot of speaking you need to anticipate those times by starting to super-hydrate several days before.  Drink, drink, drink and make it mostly water or juices, not caffienated drinks.
  4. In addition to keeping your system hydrated there are times to consider some topical moisture in the nose and throat area. This can be accomplished mc-entertainers-secret.jpegwith a Vick’s Personal Steam Inhaler. It’s made by Kaz and sold at Target, Walmart etc ($25-30) or Entertainer’s Secret Throat Spray (vocalcoach.com/store $6.95 ea).  The steam inhaler also helps is you’ve over-used the voice a bit.  The Entertainer’s Secret is a great, topical moisturizer that will keep the nasal passages, sinuses and upper throat moist even in a dry setting.
THE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR VOICE MOIST is to remember that you are a vocal athlete and you need to honor the needs of the physical instrument.  If you do, you, your voice and your audience will all be much happier campers.
LET ME KNOW YOUR QUESTIONS at chris@vocalcoach.com and be sure to take advantage of our winter sales.

 

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Soloist, Uncategorized, Vocal Health, Worship Team | No Comments »

HAS YOUR VOICE HAD A TUNE-UP LATELY? Dallas Vocal Coach Workshop Nov. 12th

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Has Your Voice Had A Tune-Up Lately?

 SING HIGHER, LOWER AND LONGER WITHOUT VOCAL FATIGUE


 JOIN US SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12th, 9:00 a.m. to Noon for a Live, Interactive Video Vocal Coach Workshop in Dallas TX

with Chris & Carole Beatty. 

Co-Sponsored by Vocal Coach and the THE VOICE KITCHEN in Dallas

 

WHO IS IT FOR?  Singers, Worship Leaders, Choir Members, Teachers, Pastors.

HOW DOES A LIVE VIDEO WORKSHOP WORK?  It’s simple.  You arrive at the Voice Kitchen in Dallas  November 12th at 9:00.  That classroom will be connected by live video feed to our Vocal Coach studio in Brentwood TN.  That’s it! We see, hear and interact with each other throughout the workshop.

HOW BIG WILL THE CLASS BE? In an effort to maximize personal attention the class will be limited to the first 15 who sign up.

WHAT WILL IT COVER? The critical foundations that even experienced singers and speakers need to fine-tune.

  • POSTURE: Sounds boring but it’s NOT!  Discovering a natural, balanced posture benefits not only your voice but the way you look and function in life. It’s a posture you can live with.
  • BREATHING: Breath is the power behind the voice.  The problem is, many of us have been taught strange techniques that really don’t make sense.  Our approach will make sense and the exercises you will learn will build good “breath management” for your speaking and singing.  Many of us breathe the wrong way.   We actually interfere with our own technique.
  • TONE: What do you sound like when all the tension and bad technique is gone?  You will be amazed at the sound and feeling of a free voice for speaking and singing.  Get ready for your absolute best sound.  It may surprise you.
  • DICTION: Believe it or not, when you clean up some diction habits your voice is much happier, the sound is cleaner and the message is easier to understand.  The Vocal Coach approach to diction is used world-wide by thousands with great success.
  • WARM-UPS & COOL-DOWNS: Those who depend on their voices are really vocal athletes.  After all, the voice is a physical, mechanical and acoustical instrument.  As you learn to warm-up and cool down your voice you will avoid injury and maximize your performance.
  • YOUR QUESTIONS: We’ll also be taking your questions and working through other areas that will make you the best you can be.

WHAT IS THE COST? Less than a one-hour personal session in the Vocal Coach studio, and you don’t need to drive or fly to Nashville and pay for a hotel.  Your total cost is $75.

HOW DO I SIGN UP?  Just go to WWW.VOICEKITCHEN.COM or email studio@voicekitchen.com.  You can also call Jill at the Voice Kitchen at 469-383-8885. Technical questions can be addressed to chris@vocalcoach.com.

 REMEMBER: THERE ARE ONLY 15 SEATS FOR THIS WORKSHOP, SO ACT NOW!

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Singing and Voice Lessons, Uncategorized, Worship Team | 2 Comments »

ARE YOUR VOCAL FOUNDATIONS CRACKED?

Sunday, September 18th, 2011

DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE BATTLES WITH YOUR VOICE?  

  1. A tired voice that aches and feels fatigued?
  2. Running out of breath and having to grab air at awkward places in the song?
  3. Having to push and sometimes practically yell the big, high notes?
  4. Losing the low register after you’ve been singing high notes?
  5. Not really being sure of the sound that’s going to come out until you’re actually singing?

TRY THESE TIPS TO FIX THE ABOVE FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES:

  1. A tired voice is often due to a combination of speaking incorrectly during the day and not warming up before, and cooling down after singing.
  2. Poor breath management is common and can undermine everything you do vocally. Here’s a link on our blog site that will get you on track. Just click here, and go to Ten Steps for Better Breathing, or visit Free Resources at vocalcoach.com.
  3. Pushing for high notes means you haven’t discovered how to ALLOW your voice to move into the higher register. By first fine-tuning your posture and breathing (see #2) and then working with our Complete Tone and Complete Expanding Your Range CD’s you can learn the joy of soaring throughout your range with a consistent tone quality. When you stop over-driving the voice and start releasing it’s freedom both you, and the listener will be happier.
  4. Where did my low notes go? We’ve all been there: The solid low notes that we started the song with are suddenly . . . GONE.  It’s only 5 minutes later, but we’ve been cranking the high notes for much of that time. That means the vocal folds are “set and positioned” for higher notes (higher frequencies). So, how do we get them to relax those settings and replace them with “low note settings?”  First, make sure you always warm-up and vocalize throughout your range.  Always come back down to your lower speaking register.  Make the low notes part of your goal in warming up.  Too often the singer’s goal is the high notes. “If I can just get those I’ll be fine.” Actually, maintaining the low notes makes the higher notes more connected and easier to sing. So, plan your warm-ups to include, and always return to your lower notes. Our Daily Workouts and Ultimate Choir Warm-Ups do a great job and will help you do that. Downloads are just minutes away.
  5. Knowing what you will sound like before you sing is one of the joys of regular vocal training. Nothing replaces muscle memory and experience.  Taking the time, and investing the resources and effort to make your voice it’s best is a worthwhile goal.

REMEMBER:  FIND THE PROBLEM.  FIX THE FOUNDATIONS.  ENJOY SINGING MORE. WE’RE HERE TO HELP.

Hope this helps you on your journey.

Let me know if you have specific questions. Just email me at: chris@vocalcoach.com and put “Question” in the subject.

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Posted in Breathing, Expanding Your Range, Performance, Posture, Voice Fatigue and Strain | No Comments »

EVER EXPERIENCE FEAR OR INSECURITY WHEN YOU SING?

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Both fear and insecurity can cause unsteady breathing, stressed tone quality, inaccurate pitch and more.

If this is you, here are some solutions to set you free:

INEXPERIENCE. If mere inexperience is the cause, the solution will be found in developing and owning good vocal technique and performance skills.  This can be accomplished by finding a local, qualified teacher and coach, or taking advantage of Vocal Coach Online Training.  Online training is the personal, powerful, convenient and cost effective way to get the training you need.
SHYNESS. If you are a shy person by nature, you may need additional coaching to further reinforce mechanics of not only the voice, but also of expression and gestures. These will have to be exaggerated. Rehearsing with props and in front of a video camera or mirror is especially helpful.  If you don’t naturally know how to be expressive in front of a crowd consider using the Complete Performance CD. It’s a powerful tool.
PITCH ISSUES. If you have pitch issues, and know it, dig in with a sensitive, experienced teacher and conquer this ear-training issue. This is a nonnegotiable skill for singers.  If, after reasonable time you don’t see much progress get a second opinion.  If you are still not able to get from pitch center to pitch center accurately, you may have to confront the possibility that singing in public is not for you.  Even then, as long as you’re not holding a microphone, sing on, and enjoy.  Note: We can do an effective evaluation of pitch issues with a single Online Session using Skype or iChat. Just visit Personal Training on our site.
UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. If your own expectations are a bit too idealistic, based more on dreams than honest feedback and careful training, it may be time to reevaluate and recalculate.  You should know that the stories behind most successful singers include a lot about very hard work. That doesn’t mean singing 8 hours a day, but It does mean learning how to use the tools of singing properly.  This includes your vocal mechanism, accurate pitch, an understanding of tone quality, expression and gesture and more. Good singers don’t just happen any more than good athletes do.  It’s always about inspiration plus . . . preparation. One, without the other, will always leave you lacking.

THE GOOD NEWS is that you don’t need to be stuck with bad vocal habits or even a lack of knowing where you really stand. Step out, reach out and enjoy the voice you have. Vocal Coach is here to serve your vocal needs.

P.S. You can now download PDF files for the leadsheets (notes & lyrics) for our most popular CD’s for only  $2.99 each. Just check the CD in the Vocal Coach Store.

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Posted in Choir Directors, From The Heart of Chris Beatty, Kids and Teens, Performance, Tone, Uncategorized | No Comments »

DICTION. IT’S MORE THAN WORDS.

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

DICTION REALLY IS ABOUT MORE THAN WORDS

Most people know that diction is all about making your message understandable to the listener.  But, for the singer, there is a lot more at stake than just the message. There are vocal issues!  Issues like tone quality, pitch and vocal stamina.  These areas and more are impacted by the way you pronounce your words.

Example 1: if you’re a mumbler, there’s a good chance your larynx is working overtime trying to fix the unclear words coming out of your mouth.  It can’t, of course, since diction has to be taken care of with lips, tongue, teeth and an ear that knows what to listen for. Clearing up the diction will reduce vocal stress and make you a better singer.

Example 2: If you have sloppy diction when you record and depend on “fixing it in the mix” you’re building some really bad habits. It’s true that programs like ProTools, Logic Pro and AutoTune allow the engineer to correct pitch, reduce the amount of SSS or TTT and even move a syllable within the phrase.  But, some things are better being done right in real-time, every time.  It’s healthier for your voice, makes a better performer and makes you more fun to record.

SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Begin by looking at your self in a mirror and lip-syncing the words to a song.  No sound, but moving lips, face and tongue.  It will help you get in touch with all the muscles involved with good diction.  Next, still with no sound, be even more expressive as you “sing” the song and memorize the “feeling” of good diction and expression. Finally, make sure your voice is warmed up and put the music to it.  Try and duplicate what you felt in the first exercises.

VERY SPECIAL OFFER

Because DICTION is one of those important-but-often-neglected areas of singing, WE ARE OFFERING THE COMPLETE DICTION CD at a special price.  Just CLICK HERE to learn more and save 20%.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Diction, Performance, Soloist, Teaching Teens To Sing, Tone, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

HAVEN’T SUNG FOR A WHILE, BUT NOW YOU ARE?

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

A SINGER RECENTLY WROTE: After being a worship leader for many years I had a season of very little singing.  Now I’m back to leading worship and teaching again. Moice tires easily and has gotten a bit “fuzzy,” compared with what it used to be.  I might add that I’m not getting any younger and wondered about how age affects the voice.  Also, I took some Aspirin and Tylenol. While my voice then felt and sounded better, I still wanted your opinion and more guidelines.

VOCAL COACH THOUGHTS: What a great question and you’re not alone being in this situation. Due to the fact that what we call “the voice” is a combination of physical, mechanical and acoustical functions, all working together, aging will have an impact.  But, with a little knowledge and some new habits you should do just fine.  Consider these points:

1. Aging does impact the voice. As we age we become less flexible, can lose stamina and our bodies have a harder time maintaining moisture and lubrication.  Everything from our eyes to our skin gets dryer. Solution: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and avoid caffeine. At least half your body weight in ounces of water, per day. (180 lbs=90 oz water.) Also, consider using Entertainer’s Secret Throat Relief Spray (ADD LINK) as a way to topically moisturize the sinuses, nasal passages, and upper throat.

2. What we call “the voice” is really a number of physical, mechanical and acoustical systems working together.  The muscles involved can get weak.  If unused for a long period they can suffer a gradual decline of effectiveness due to underuse or neglect.  But, don’t panic. A rebuilding process can change all that, so read on.

3. Regaining or rebuilding the voice simply means understanding and applying the right concepts and exercises. This means identifying the foundations, getting those foundations in order through systematic exercises and finally owning them.  How long might this take?  One minute to begin; several months to own. You achieve success by constant vocal awareness throughout the day combined with short periods of focused exercises.

4. Pace yourself and your voice usage.  Don’t try to go from 0-60 too quickly.  Get in the habit of daily, systematic and sensible warm-up.  When you can, let your voice rest before and after singing. Especially while your getting back up-to-speed. And remember: Talking is using the voice, often with less awareness of what you’re doing than during singing.

5. Caution: If your voice is tired and raspy after singing give it a day off from unnecessary use.  But, don’t whisper as that is more harmful than just speaking softly in a normal voice.

6. Aspirin and Tylenol. This reader did mention that these medications helped when his voice got rough. That’s because he had overworked the voice to the point of some minor inflammation, or swelling.  The anti-inflammatory medication would help that, but there could also be a side-effect of more drying.  When in doubt, breathing steam might be a better way to return the leading edges of the vocal folks to normal and get rid of that rough, raspy sound. The Vic’s Personal Steam Inhaler is a great, inexpensive tool for that.  I always have one nearby for those times when I’ve taxed my voice a bit too much.

ABOUT THOSE FOUNDATIONS

1. Posture is where it all starts. Sloppy posture undermines everything else. Be upright and relaxed. Visit the “Posture” category in the Vocal Coach Blog for more.

2. Good Breathing, or Breath Management will become natural as you understand and exercise these strong muscles.  Check out “Ten Steps To Better Breathing” on our Free Singing Resources page. Also, read other Blogs in the “Breathing” Category.  If you want a powerful resource get the CD or download for Complete Breathing.

3. Tone, is the sound quality of your voice.  The goal is to use minimal breath and good acoustics to easily project your voice to the point you are as efficient as a baby or child.  They have no problem getting their messages out there with no voice fatigue.

Click here for a short Vocal Coach Video on Tone called “What Does Your Voice Sound Like?”

4. Warming up your voice is critical to getting the most out of your instrument without sacrificing it. Starting the day with humming in your middle range is a good way to get things awake and moving.  From there (with good posture, breathing, and light buzzing tone) move higher and lower in your range. Moving to the lip-thrill, and finally songs, should get you ready to sing and speak safely throughout the day. Complete Warm-Up is a powerful tool to educate and exercise you and your voice.

Finally, here is the THE VOCAL COACH “BEFORE I SING” CHECK LISTWe use in our Vocal Coach Classes and private coaching. Print this out and carry it with you.

1. I’m an upright Child of the King, and should stand and sit like it all day long.

2. As I inhale I breathe down, expanding front, sides and back.  As I exhale the ribs and chest remain stable.

3. I am a sound system with my own resonators and amplifiers that I can feel.

4. I warm up my voice like the vocal athlete I am, starting in mid-range, then moving higher and lower.

Humming and Lip-Trills are the best start.

5. I make my words easy to understand by using my lips, tongue and teeth.  This takes stress off my larynx.

6. By being vocally-aware throughout the day I will be establishing good  Muscle Memory.

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Posted in Ask the Coach, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, The Senior Voice, Uncategorized, Warm-Ups, Worship Team | 3 Comments »

DON’T TRY AND FIT ANOTHER SINGER’S VOCAL MOLD

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Be who you are, vocally. Don’t try and fit someone else’s vocal mold.

Someone else may be a higher or lower voice part than you, and that’s fine.  They may also relate to different vocal styles because of their cultural or musical experiences.  That’s also fine.

But, notice that I didn’t say, “Stay in the rut you’re in. That’s just the way it is.”  In fact, here are two thoughts to the contrary:

1. Even though you can’t suddenly become another voice part you probably can significantly expand your vocal range just by cleaning up and refining your vocal technique. It’s all about owning the foundations and having some specific goals.

2. Learning to believably sing new styles is a fun and wise pursuit.  In fact, expanding your repertoire of vocal styles makes you a more valuable, more flexible singer.

Finally, here’s the answer to a question I get asked regularly.

Question: Chris, what do you actually do with singers?  Help me understand.

Vocal Coach Answer: I guess you could sum it up as this:  I look at people who sing, and then help them discover their potential, discover current problems or limitations and come up with solutions and a step-by-step way to make it happen.  This does, of course, require the cooperation of the singer, and it does take some time, but it’s very doable . . . and that’s what we do at Vocal Coach with in-person or Online sessions.

BONUS: Like a little humor? Check out these two Vocal Coach Animations:

I Have To Practice? And Preparing for Performance

Please keep those questions coming to chris@vocalcoach.com.

Thanks

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Posted in Performance, Soloist, Tips Tailored for You, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

VOICE PROTECTION for TEACHERS and SPEAKERS

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Every Fall I get emails from teachers complaining of voice fatigue, and sometimes even voice loss.  In these next few minutes I’ll share some ideas and exercises that are good for teachers, salesmen, pastors and anyone who uses their voice consistently throughout the day.

To begin with, remember that what we call “the voice,” is really a physical, mechanical and acoustical instrument.  It is designed to work in a specific way and involves a number of different organs and systems of the body. Posture, breathing, articulation, projection and more are involved every time you speak.  Here are some thoughts and exercises to help you prepare and maintain your speaking instrument:

  1. The voice is a complex, physical instrument.
  2. Physical systems need to be warmed up and cooled down.
  3. Understanding how your voice projects, takes the pressure off.

A Physical Instrument

Since your voice has always just “been there,” it’s easy to mistreat.  The fact is, the voice is a series of physical systems that need to be maintained and cared for.  Posture, breathing and articulatory muscles are all involved.

Warm It Up and Cool It Down

Because we are dealing with muscles, tendons, cartilage, membrane and more, you should warm up your instrument before you hit the classroom or office.  Just how does a teacher or speaker warm up the voice? Here is a checklist that will help:

1. Hands Up! Prepare the instrument, which is you, by lifting your hands straight up over your head to align the body.  It will feel good, while at the same time, prevent tension in the neck and larynx that can tire the voice. Muscle memory will help you maintain this posture throughout the day.

2. Check the Power Source. With hands still up, take in four sipping breaths and feel the entire waist area expand. Now, expel the breath on four hissing sounds.  Sip, sip, sip, sip, hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss etc. You will quickly realize where you should be feeling the breathing.  Muscle memory will help you use these same muscles throughout the day, rather than leaving the chest up and down.

3. Hummmmmm. Relax the arms and start humming anything you want – a song, or just sounds.  Go high and low, reaching into all parts of your range.

4. Cool it Down. At the end of your teaching or work day, do some more Humming on a simple melody.  The goal is to allow this physical instrument to gradually return to normal resting size and temperature. The obvious parallel is sports.  Those who cool the muscles are more protected from injury.

Use the “You” Sound System

You are the sound system. While you were humming you could dramatically feel vibrations in the face, head, neck and chest. These are the acoustical chambers of your body amplifying and projecting the sound. The great part is that it doesn’t take a lot of air.  Instead, it naturally amplifies the sound if you don’t over-push it.

As you respect your voice, warming it up and allowing it to naturally project, speaking becomes much less stressful on the voice.  To learn more about ways to preserve and maintain your voice check out the FREE RESOURCES page of our site. If you have questions you would like to have answered just email chris@vocalcoach.com . Need some training tools?  The Complete Breathing, Warm-Up and Diction and Daily Workout CD’s are perfect for teachers and speakers.  The are fun and easy to use.  Check them out by clicking here.

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Posted in Choir Directors, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, Tips Tailored for You, Tone, Uncategorized, Warm-Ups | No Comments »

GOING FROM WANTING TO DOING

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

GOING FROM WANTING TO DOING

Here are some thoughts and tips to help you go from just wanting to express something when you sing, to actually doing it.  This can also apply to public speaking, classroom teaching, prepping your team for a game, preaching or leading a Bible study.  In every one of those cases your goal is to clearly communicate. As a bonus in this blog, I’ve created an animated segment to reinforce some of the principles. Check it out now, or after you’ve read the blog. Click here.

Start with these simple steps:

  1. Recognize that the rules change anytime you get up in front of people to share, with or without a microphone.  You become responsible to give them a clear message, not one that is only half-thought-out. Otherwise, you will lose them and they will mentally to elsewhere.  Second, be confident that with a bit of the right kind of preparation you will succeed in getting the message from your heart to the listener’s ear.
  2. Rejoice in the fact that if you make certain preparations you will succeed in getting the message from your heart to theirs.

Identify the challenges:

  1. Fear. Speaking or singing in front of others is the number one listed fear for the average person.  For some, it’s uncomfortable.  For some, it’s nearly impossible.
  2. Lack of preparation. Even if you are moderately comfortable or even thrive in public performance situation you have to do your homework.  If you don’t you risk being less clear or even embarrassing yourself.

Where to begin:

  1. Prepare your content. Know what your message is.  Be able to summarize it in a few sentences. If it’s a song, you should be able to put the essence of every verse and chorus in our own words. Restating the song personalizes it.  Then, and only then will you own the message.
  2. Prepare your mind. If you’re singing a serious song with a painful message you need to be able to feel that.  The same is true for happy, encouraging messages, or instructional or testimony songs, etc. If it’s a speech or teaching put yourself in the message. Be there.  Live there. Feel it.  Otherwise how will you be believable?
  3. Prepare your face and body. Unless you’re just doing an audio recording, your posture, facial expression and hand gestures will play a part in your communications, whether you like it or not.  That means you need to know your options, chose the right ones and practice them.  Why?  Because if you don’t they either won’t be there, or they will look stiff and unnatural.
    1. a. Your Posture is always showing something, be it confidence, or fear.  Determine to look secure and in authority.  The fastest way there is to lift your hands straight up over your head and memorize that aligned, upright posture.  Then, slowly bring the arms down to your sides, relax the shoulders and keep the rest of it the same. Look in the mirror and you will be pleased.
    2. b. Your face. Here’s a biggie and it will take some practice because there are dozens of options is facial expression.  I suggest using a mirror, or video camera connected to a TV monitor, to see what your various expressions look and physically feel like.  Ultimately, it’s the physical sensations that you will be reproducing.  Muscle memory is your friend. Bottom line: Your facial expressions need to agree with your message.
    3. c. Your arms and hands are another part of you that will either enhance or distract from your message. Don’t just stand there, and don’t worry about doing too much.  You probably won’t.  Do worry, however, about doing nothing, or being tentative or vague with what you do. Decide the options, practice the options then assign meaningful gestures to the words.

Worried that this will be too mechanical? Don’t be.  Actors, baseball players, guitarists, chefs and even computer programmers all practice the physical aspects of what they do until it is second nature.  That’s the only way you will ever own it.

Check out this Vocal Coach animated dramatization to help reinforce what you’ve just read.  Just click here.  And be sure to check out the special offer for the Vocal Coach Complete Performance CD at our store.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Soloist, Song Selection, Songwriting, Tips Tailored for You | No Comments »

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